Sunday, February 28, 2016

Royal ready to extend by 10 years the nuclear plants – Challenges.fr

The Minister of Ecology and Energy, Segolene Royal, said Sunday, February 28 be “ready to give (the) green light” to the extension of ten years of the life of French nuclear power plants, which would increase from 40 to 50 years. “Yes, I’m ready to give that green light, subject to the advice of the Nuclear Safety Authority” (ASN), said Ségolène Royal on France 3, adding that these plants operated by EDF “are already depreciated, therefore produce a cheaper electricity. “

This decision however would enter” in the context of the decline in the share of nuclear power from 75 to 50% in electricity production to ramp up the renewable “, as provided by the energy transition law passed last year, she recalled.

nuclear Security

the boss of EDF, Jean-Bernard Levy, had said in mid-February that “the state (were) agreed that we modernize the current fleet so that the life that was designed for 40 years, we climbed to 50 and 60 years, provided that nuclear security is guaranteed “.

the energy transition law plans to cut 50% from the atom in electricity production in France in 2025 and capped at its current level of 63.2 gigawatts of nuclear generation in the country. This last provision will force EDF to close two reactors, normally those of the Fessenheim (Haut-Rhin) to compensate for the EPR reactor Flamanville commissioning, postponed to the end of 2018. “There is no other closing expected in the next ten years, “stressed Jean-Bernard Levy.

the government will soon present its multiannual programming energy (EPP), which will detail the evolution of means of production by type of energy (nuclear, gas, renewables, etc.).